Area optimisation

The use of land for transport, industry and housing has one of the biggest environmental impacts, as land is a valuable, but limited, resource. The efficient use of port and logistics areas through high land usage productivity and increased storage capacity on existing space are therefore measures that HHLA uses to reduce the use of land for transport, industry and building developments. When investing in the demand-oriented expansion of its port terminals, HHLA is guided by its commitment to using scarce port and logistics areas as efficiently as possible. With regard to the efficient use of port areas, HHLA focuses on expanding storage capacity and boosting its quayside handling capacity.

At HHLA’s Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB), for example, storage capacity is being increased by the space-conserving expansion of the yard crane system. In the reporting year, work continued at CTB on the construction of a further four storage blocks, which will begin operation in the course of 2023. An additional three storage blocks were ordered in the reporting year. By condensing the container storage areas, the storage capacity of the existing space can be significantly increased in line with demand.

As well as increasing storage capacity by more concentrated storage, thus optimising land usage, the expansion of quayside handling capacity is an important element for the efficient use of space at the terminals. HHLA has significantly increased its quayside efficiency by means of an extensive expansion programme, including the use of state-of-the-art tandem container gantry cranes which can move up to four 20-foot containers simultaneously. A further five new large gantry cranes were ordered for CTB in the reporting year. Enhancing quay-wall productivity in this way without using additional space enables the company to handle a larger number of containers.

In addition to space-saving yard crane systems and efficient handling equipment, effective processes also make a key contribution towards increasing the efficiency of the existing areas. This combination of increased storage capacity with efficient equipment and processes makes it possible to cope with peak workloads in the existing areas.

For its network between the seaports and the Eastern European and South-Eastern European inland terminals, HHLA subsidiary METRANS uses wagons specially designed for maritime logistics. These 80-foot wagons offer the ideal combination of wagon/train length and carrying capacity. As a result, a block train operating a shuttle service can transport as many as 100 standard containers – more than would be possible with comparable wagons. This high carrying capacity per train makes optimum use of the existing infrastructure at the seaport, inland terminals and railway sidings.